From Australian Land Care
Australian Farm Journal
June 2006
http://www.farmonline.com.au/farmmags/australianlandcare/publication.aspx
Brunswick Valley Landcare and Byron Shire Council last March joined forces to hold their inaugural toad muster of the Far North Coast of NSW. The evening raised awareness of the impact cane toads (bufo marinus)were having on the environment, and educated people on the way to identify and control the pest. Community members were encouraged to bing in live toads. Prizes were offered for the most toads and the heaviest toad collected. Cane toads are believed to have been brought to Byron Bay in the 1960's and have been increasing in number since then. They began heading south and north-west from North Queensland after being released in a misguided attempt to rid canefields of the cane beetle in the 1930's. Since then, the poisonous and incredibly adaptive amphinbians have spread though out Queensland and the Northern Territory. The current southern limit of the Taods manace is around Yamba with isolated population around Port Macquarie. "The cane toad poses a serious threat to our local biodiversity ." Byron Shire Council's biodiversity extension officer,Wendy Neilan, says. "Most native animals that normally eat frogs die when they attempt to eat cane toads." Organisers of the toad muster were overwhelmed by it's success as about 60 people turned up for the event to deliver thousands of live toads in buckets, crates and boxes. Brunswick Catchment Landcare support officer, Dave Rawlins, says the final tally of the night came to 5890 adult and juvenile toads, with a combined weight of 77 kilograms. "We did not know how many toads or people would come along to the muster and this was a test to see if the community supported the concept," Rawlins says. "Feedback from the participants was that this should become a regular event . "We are now looking at ways to expand the muster so it can be in more locations and over a longer period of time to maximise the collecting and controlling of the toads." Prize for the biggest tally went to Alan Rayward and his granddaughter, Stacey Devine, for bringing in more than 3000 specimens, including juveniles. "I'd like to see Byron Shire free of cane toads," Reyward says. "I know what the fauna was like before. We used to have black bitterns and many more frogs. This year the toad population is totally out of control with the return of a real wet season." Brunswick Valley Landcare is also investigating the viability of cane toads traps. Devices bring used in Byron Shire are a mixture of components produced locally and by Frog Watch in the NT. These use a light to attract insects, which entice the cane toad through a one-way doors. Local landcarer, Greg McDonald, is using his electrical and engineering skills to design remote traps that can be powered by rechargeable batteries (either on the trap with solar panels or at home from mains electricity). McDonald is developing ingenious ways to reduce the light output but still attract insects. This would mean traps could run from smaller, cheaper solar panels, or if just using mains power, rechargeable batteries would last longer.
Contact Dave Rawlins or Wendy Neilan, Byron Shire Council, Phone (02) 66267000, email dave.rawlins@byron.nsw.gov.au or wendy.neilan@byron.nsw.gov.au